Fodder Production and Grassland Management

PRESENT SCENARIO OF LIVESTOCK SECTOR IN THE COUNTRY

• India is basically an agricultural country and about 70% of its people live in villages. Their livelihood is dependent mainly on agriculture and animal husbandry. India has a huge livestock population of over 481 millions (besides poultry and piggery). India ranks first in Buffalo population (54 % of world buffalo population), and also first in Cattle population (16 % of world). With regard to sheep (58.2 million) and Goat (123.5 million) population also, India ranks first. Yet, the productivity of livestock products is not comparable with the developed world.
• Our country achieved a record output of milk production (112 million tones, 2009-10) and ranks first in the world. (Per capita availability of milk consumption in India is 250 g/day). In terms of egg production (45 billions, 2006), India ranks third in the world. The total meat production stands at 4.92 (2006) million tonnes. Inspite of this enormous production, the productivity of milk, meat and egg happens to be low when compared to some of the developed nations. Though we have about one fourth of the total livestock population of the world, one of the reasons for low productivity of our livestock is malnutrition, under - nutrition or both, besides the low genetic potential of the animals.